Mud Island
A small peninsula jutting into the Mississippi, Mud Island is downtown Memphis' best-loved green space. Walk across the bridge to the park, where you can…
Must-see attractions in Tennessee
- Children's Museum of Memphis
Give the kids a chance to let loose and play in, on and with exhibits such as an airplane cockpit or an earthquake 'shake' table at this museum targeted…
- Mississippi River Museum
Pop in here to learn a little bit more about the cultural and natural history of the Big Muddy. Be sure to check out the scale model of the lower…
- Sunsphere
The city's visual centerpiece is the Sunsphere, a golden orb (disco ball!) atop a tower that's the main remnant of the 1982 World's Fair. You can take the…
- Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook
If you don't have time to take a chairlift from downtown Gatlinburg to a scenic lookout, you can enjoy a lofty view of downtown and the surrounding…
- Brooks Museum of Art
At this well-regarded art museum on Overton Park's western fringe, the excellent permanent collection encompasses everything from Renaissance sculpture to…
- Sculpture Fields at Montague Park
Large-scale sculptures from a global array of artists dot this 33-acre outdoor museum. Open since 2016, the park is a pleasant place to stroll on a pretty…
- Bessie Smith Cultural Center
Explores various aspects of African American history in Chattanooga and shares a few artifacts related to Chattanooga-born singer Bessie Smith, the…
- Music City Center
Opened in 2013, this convention and events complex looks up-to-the-nanosecond modern. It hosts everything from pool-and-spa expos to auditions for The…
- I Believe in Nashville Mural
This red, white and blue mural, fashioned after the Tennessee flag, exudes Nashville pride. Painted by Adrien Saporiti in 2012, it's a popular backdrop…
- Levitt Shell
A historic band shell and the site of Elvis' first concert in 1954. Today the mod-looking white shell hosts free concerts in summer and fall.
- Cohen Memorial Hall Gallery
Located on Vanderbilt's freshman Peabody College campus, the gallery showcases an array of rotating seasonal exhibitions.
- Elvis Statue
The world's first bronze Elvis statue was erected in this small plaza in 1980.
- McClung Museum of Natural History
On the campus of UT, this small natural-history museum is a good rainy-day distraction for families. You'll find dinosaur bones from Tennessee in the…
- Whites Creek Greenway at Fontanel
This 1.5-mile paved greenway, which has an entrance behind a distillery, follows a creek and connects with 2 miles of woodsy hiking trails that loop…